Exclusive | Details of a Student's 'Suicide'; School Officials' Reaction Over Nail Polish

Following reports about the 'suicide' of a schoolgirl due to the actions of school officials regarding 'nail polish', a source close to the family of Zahra Hatami, the deceased student, provided details of the incident to Voice of America. The source stated that the confiscation of her mobile phone and the school principal's call to her father caused fear in Zahra, leading her to flee to the rooftop and subsequently fall to her death. According to citizen reports, the eighth-grade student at Narges School in the Vahidieh neighborhood of Shahriar, after being 'suspended for three days' due to her 'nail polish', 'threw herself off a half-finished building' and lost her life. The obituary for this teenager identifies her as 'Zahra Hatami, daughter of Najat', with her funeral held on Tuesday, October 10. The source close to Zahra's family, stating that they are originally from 'Nahavand', told Voice of America that school officials had 'harassed her over her nail polish and called her father', which frightened Zahra and led her to 'run away from school' to 'a residential building across from the school that was open'. According to this source, Zahra Hatami 'went to the rooftop in a very crowded place' and 'jumped off' after leaving school. An informed individual pointed out the 'change of principals' in schools and the presence of 'security managers' in education, stating that the 'school principal took Zahra Hatami's mobile phone and called her father to come, after which she fled and immediately went to the rooftop and jumped off'. In a statement from the Ministry of Education regarding 'chastity and hijab' issued in Farvardin 1402, the ministry announced that it would be 'unable to provide educational services to students who do not comply with dress codes in schools'. Additionally, Najat Bahrami, an analyst on Iranian issues who previously served as the deputy for public relations at the Ministry of Education, mentioned that the ministry issued a directive on mandatory hijab, encouraging and recommending female students to wear chador. This directive emphasizes 'environmental separation', including in 'workplaces, transportation services, and cafeterias to reduce mixing', and recommends avoiding the employment of women 'in crowded organizational positions specifically for men'. The death of Zahra Hatami in Shahriar, following pressure over her 'nail polish' and the 'confiscation of her phone' by the school principal, coincides with reports of another teenage girl in Tehran losing consciousness due to 'being pushed by officials' and being transferred to the hospital. Civil disobedience against mandatory hijab in Iran has increased in recent months following nationwide protests after the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police. Women and girls opposing mandatory hijab have been using optional attire for months, with numerous images shared on social media regarding this issue.